The Pigeon and the Girl
by Seal224
Summary: Pete makes friends with a teen girl. A series of one shots revolving around their adventures and the strong bond they share.
1. The Start of Something Beautiful

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.**

It was a warm Summer night in New York City. A full moon cast its soft glow, accompanied by a few stars. People walked the streets, either enjoying themselves or having somewhere they needed to be. They didn't notice the large, feathered creature flying about.

Though it had been quite a while since being removed from The Mighty Mutanimals, Pigeon Pete did his best to cease any criminal activity he happened to spot from the air. However, during the past few weeks, it seemed to have all but stopped, with the occasional robbery or shooting, since the Shredder, Krang, and Purple Dragons were finished. That gave him a sense of vacancy, of not having a purpose.

With a sigh, Pete landed softly on a rooftop, sitting down and letting his feet dangle over the edge. Golden eyes scanned the world below him, watching the people walk by. A small smile graced the pigeon man's beak. Seconds later, a warm breeze blew, playing with his gray feathers. Grinning, he stood, flapped his arms, and took off, flying with the wind. That was one of his favorite hobbies. Flying made him feel free. He could let go of any and all negativity and just soar. He was so caught up in the moment, he didn't notice the large glass window, until he slammed into it. He remained there, flat against the smooth crystal, before slowly sliding to the ground on his stomach. Pete was about to get to his feet when he felt eyes on him. Turning to the left, he came face to face with a teenage girl. She stood close to five feet, with curly, brunette hair pulled into a pony tail, chocolate eyes, fair skin, and wore a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and black tennis shoes. She was staring at the large pigeon in a mix of shock and horror, the latter mirroring it. Pete quickly stood, and they turned and ran off in opposite directions.

Pete landed on a roof that was obscured by trees. A human saw him. A human! His heart pounded against his rib cage as that thought played repeatedly in his mind.

The following night, Pete was flying high above the city. The event from last night was still fresh in his mind. He still couldn't believe a human saw him. Come to think of it, he was just as scared of her as she was of him. He wanted to find her and introduce himself, perhaps be friends, but there was the threat of being discovered by more than just her. He was a mutant, something the world probably would never accept. It was for that reason he, like the turtles and his former teammates, remained hidden. And yet, there was no harm in trying, right?

The bird's heart lurched when he saw the girl walking down a sidewalk. Gathering his courage, Pete took a deep breath and descended towards her. He landed not too far from the teen.

She stopped mid-step and stared wide-eyed at the creature. It had the head and legs of a bird and the body of a human. She was about to turn and run when he spoke, extending a large, feathery hand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, it's okay, I won't hurt you!"

She flinched. Did it just talk? She was routed to the spot, too stunned to do anything.

Pete took that as a sign to continue. "My name's Pete. What's yours?"

The teen remained silent, unsure whether to introduce herself or run. He was possibly the ugliest thing she had ever seen, yet he was smiling.

The bird's gaze became downcast. He was about to retract his hand when she placed her own in his. He looked back up, hopeful.

"Ch-Ch-Christina," she stammered.

"It's very nice to meet you, Christina," Pete grinned and shook her hand, yellow eyes twinkling.

Christina smiled back, relaxing slightly. "Nice to meet you too, Pete."


	2. Bread

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.**

"So, sourdough bread, huh?"

"Oh, yes!"

"Man, you really like it, don't you?"

"Are you kidding me? I...love it!"

Christina stared amusedly up at her avian friend, watching him do loop de loops in the night sky. He landed sloppily in front of her with a grin. She laughed. "Wow, I've never seen anyone be that nuts about bread. No offense, Pete."

"None taken, Chris! I just love the stuff!" the pigeon said ebulliently, taking a few steps.

The girl moved beside him. They agreed the park would be their hangout. No one was around, which assuaged any fears Pete had about being noticed. The duo were free to do as they pleased.

"What's your favorite kind of bread?" Pete asked.

"I like whole wheat," Her mouth watered slightly. "It's good to make sandwiches with."

"Wait, hold the phone, you never tried sourdough bread?" Pete inquired with a surprised expression.

"Uh, no."

"You are so missing out! I really do recommend it!" The pigeon chirped, a pep in his step.

"Alright, alright," His friend laughed. "I'll try some. For you."

"Yay!" Pete shouted joyously, nearly tackling Christina in a feathery hug and squawking. "You're gonna try sourdough bread! You're gonna try sourdough bread!"

"Yeah...I am...air! Pete, air!" The girl choked out.

He gasped, releasing her. "Oh, sorry."

Christina took a moment to catch her breath, before replying, "That's okay."

"Really, I'm happy. I really think you'll like it," Pete smiled kindly.

"I hope so," She said, slight skepticism in her tone.

Christina entered through the back door of her home and headed upstairs to the kitchen. Her mother, a brunette woman dressed in a white shirt and jeans turned from the sink with a smile. "So, how was your time with your friend?"

"It was good," The teen said simply.

The woman blinked. "Anything else?"

"When we go shopping, could I get some sourdough bread?"


	3. First Flight

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.**

Back and forth, back and forth they swung, their legs providing the momentum they needed to keep moving. Christina had been unusually quiet the past ten minutes, much to Pete's worry. Glancing to his friend, the bird took note of her staring up at the sky with a distant look in her brown orbs. His gaze lingered on her a few seconds longer, before focusing on the world in front of him.

"What's it like to fly, Pete?"

The pigeon flinched, having been caught off guard by the question. "I'm sorry?"

"What's it like to fly?" Christina reiterated, the faraway expression replaced with sheer curiosity.

"Oh, it's wonderful! When I'm up there, I feel so free! I just love feeling the wind beneath my wings!" The grin nearly split his face in half. "Why do you ask?"

Christina stopped the swing. "It's just that, when I see you up in the sky, I just…I don't know…I get curious."

Pete stopped his swing as well, the grin never leaving his face. "well, what if you could see what it's like right now?"

"Huh?" His friend inquired, brows furrowed in confusion.

"I could let you ride on my back," Pete offered, getting up off the swing and walking a few feet.

"Really?" Christina followed suit. She could actually be up in the sky, and taste that same freedom Pete did. However, something was holding her back. She looked at the mutant uncertainly. "…Is it safe?"

"You know, I'm not sure. I've never done this before," Pete answered. "Look, I'll do my best to not let you fall. My flight isn't the best."

'Should I, or shouldn't I?' Christina thought. She wanted to, she really did, but the fear of falling was holding her back, and she was sure the bird was just as hesitant. What if she did? Pete couldn't take her to the hospital. She could already imagine the horrified stares they'd receive. At the same time, he was her best friend, the one she trusted with her life and heart. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, and even if he did, it'd be an accident.

'Do it! This could be your only chance!' Her heart commanded.

Letting out a breath, a smile graced the teen's features. "Let's do it."

Nodding, Pete turned his back to the girl. Heart pounding with anticipation and anxiety, Christina walked over and slowly climbed on, not wanting to hurt him. Pete began flapping his gray-feathered arms and ascended about twenty feet into the air, then started forward at a reasonable speed.

Christina let out a cry of delight and fear as she rode on the mutant pigeon's back. Her slender arms were wrapped around his neck, hands clinging tightly to the bird's shoulders, a smile nearly splitting her face in two. However, the moment was short-lived when her friend suddenly swerved to the left, narrowly missing a tree. "Pete!"

"Oops! Sorry, Chris!" He said apologetically.

"Just—try to be more careful!" The girl gasped, her body jerking forward when the bird dipped. "Whoa!"

"Sorry…again! You are my first rider, after all!"

A few minutes of twisting, turning, bumping, and bouncing later, the mutant's flight finally leveled out, much to the utter relief of his companion. Bit by bit, Christina relaxed, sitting more comfortably on Pete's back. She looked around in amazement. Having a bird's eye view of the world kind of gave her a new perspective. Things definitely looked different from high in the sky.

"Woohoo!" Pete grinned upon hearing the teen's thrilled cry when he gained more momentum. They flew through the open sky, doing little twists and turns. Christina did her best to move with him, so as not to fall off. Pete turned to the right, Christina tilted to the left, and vice versa.

The pigeon man descended clumsily, causing his passenger to nearly slip for the umpteenth time. Slowly, she dismounted, standing next to her friend on wobbly legs. She leaned against the large bird for support, her body needing to readjust to being back on land.

"So, did you like it?" Pete asked, looking at her expectantly.

"Well, despite almost falling to my doom a thousand times, I loved it!" Christina replied with an overjoyed grin. "It was terrifying, but so much fun!"

Pete warbled happily, bouncing on his heels. "I'm glad! Would you like to go again?"

"Um—maybe not now," They laughed. "But, in the near future."

"Alrighty then!" The pigeon nodded.

"Thanks, pal," Christina said, smiling warmly.

Pete cooed, giving his friend's shoulder a pat.


	4. Shall We Dance?

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.**

Pigeon Pete was perched high in the trees of the park, legs dangling and feathered hands folded in his lap. Bulging, orange-yellow eyes scanned the ground below for his best friend. She said she'd be there at eight o'clock, and the last time he checked, (which was while looking for bread,) it was 7:30. Though the bird had no way of knowing the current time, he knew it had been some time since then. He looked down again, a concerned frown slowly forming on his beak. Walking around New York at night wasn't exactly the safest thing to do.

Pete sighed. He hoped she was okay.

The sound of crunching leaves caught the mutant's ear. He could barely make out her figure in the moonlight. Tilting his head back, he let out two loud squawks, a signal he was there.

Christina halted and looked up. Grinning, she repeated, waving her slender arms back and forth.

With a small laugh, Pete leapt from the thick branch and hovered none too gracefully to the ground. "Hey, Chris, how you been?"

"Good, and you?" She walked over and gave him a quick hug.

Pete returned it, patting her back. "I'm good."

"Good. I brought the stuff," She placed her purse on the ground. Unzipping it, she pulled out her pink iPhone and a black case, which she opened, revealing a speaker with a headphone cable attached to it. Placing them gently down on a nearby tree stump, she plugged the cable into the phone and turned it and the speaker on. After that, she tapped on the music icon, opening the ap. Straightening, she addressed the large bird. "Okay, what would you like to try to dance to?"

"Ooh, ballet! Ballet!" Pete replied cheerily, bouncing on his heels and clapping.

Nodding, Christina tapped a song, and it started to play. Turning up the volume, she moved to stand beside her friend, grinning. "Just so you know, I have no idea how to dance."

"Hey, neither do I, so we're in the same boat!" Pete said with a jovial laugh.

"Duh duh duh duh dum," Christina sang, hilariously off-key and skipping forward four times, Pete repeating.

"Duh duh duh duh dum," The bird sang next, also off-key and repeating the previous move.

Linking arms, human and pigeon started twirling quickly. "Duh duh duh, duh duh duh duh—whoa!"

Tripping over each other's feet and getting dizzy, the two toppled over, landing in a heap of tangled limbs and feathers on the grass. After a slight struggle, they lay on their backs, dissolving into shrieks of laughter. Banging the ground lightly, Christina breathed, "You…you…you s-should of…seen yourself!"

"I didn't have to, I saw you! Can you imagine if we did that on a stage?" Pete cackled.

"I know. They'd be like, 'Boo! Boo! Get off the stage!'"

Pete gasped dramatically. "Holy smokes, what is that bird man thing? Egad! Boo! Hiss!"

"Boo! Boo! Those two are completely nuts!" Christina quipped, giggling.

This went on for several minutes, the two friends rolling, kicking, bantering, and laughing, until they laid there, panting heavily.

Pete stood, as did his friend.

"My sides are going to be sore," The teen stated.

"Mine too," The pigeon concurred.

"What would you like to try next?" The girl asked, walking over to her phone.

"Um…how about dubstep?"

"You got it!" The girl selected a dubstep song. It started soft and easy, the pair swaying and tapping to the rhythm. When it picked up, they broke out into hopping, spinning, bending, etc.

"You're not that bad," Pete complemented.

"Yeah? You too," Christina replied, smiling.

"I love sourdough bread, bread, bread," Pete sang.

"That's not how it goes!" His friend laughed.

"Well, it is now!"

They danced and laughed, the world around them seeming to be joining in, the trees and grass blowing in the wind and the moon casting its warm glow. It was surreal, blissful.

Suddenly, Christina's phone rang loudly. She ran over and picked it up, reading the text message with slight alarm. She turned to the pigeon man. "I have to go! Mom wants me back home in ten minutes!"

"already? Jeez, time really does fly when you're having fun!" Pete's beak curved downward at the sight of Christina hurredly packing her things. "Hey, whoa, whoa, easy there. What's the rush?"

"I have to go, Pete! See ya!" She was about to take off, when a feathered hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"I could give you a ride," Pete offered with a kind smile.

Christina looked as if she was about to object, but when she saw her friend's face and heard his offer, she just couldn't say no. "Alright. Thanks, pal."

"Hey, no problem, Chris," The pigeon responded good-naturedly.

The human climbed on the bird's back, and they took to the skies, before shouting, "Up, up, and away!"

They landed a short distance from the back of Christina's home. Dismounting, she gave Pete another quick, warm embrace, which he immediately returned. "I had a great time tonight. Thank you."

"Hey, no problem, my friend. And, it was your idea, so thanks, I loved dancing with you," Pete replied with a happy coo.

After they pulled away, the girl turned and headed to the door. Before opening it, she turned and called softly, "Good night, pal."

Chuckling, Pete called back, "Good night, Chris."

After the door clicked shut, Pete flapped his arms and was airborne once more.


	5. Joy Rides and Sunsets

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.**

"Whoosh!" Howled the wind as they flew through the evening sky. It was still bright out, but that did nothing to deter the pigeon and human duo. They flew high above the city to avoid detection, twisting, turning, and swerving.

The elated grin never left the mutant bird's beak while they soared, feathered arms beating furiously. The sensation of being so high up, the wind pounding against his body offered him a sense of freedom no one could take away. He glanced downward, the buildings, people, and cars appearing as if they could only be useful to those who stood barely three feet tall. He turned slowly to the left, chuckling when his companion let out a surprised yelp and sighed in relief.

The teen clutched tightly to the shoulders of her feathered friend, looking around at the open sky with unyielding fascination. Her face went through a cloud, dampening it. Up there, she felt just as free as the bird did, like she was queen of the world. Christina couldn't thank Pete enough. She wanted to experience flying, and he granted her that wish.

Finally, they reached their destination: the city dock. Pete stumbled to the ground, causing his rider to nearly fall off. Luckily, Christina had grown accustomed to the pigeon's klutzy flight, so she expected that. After getting to their feet, the two sat on a bench and stared out at the sunset. Pete put an arm across the girl's shoulders, the ladder doing the same, resting her head on his shoulder with a content sigh.

The sun looked like a giant, levitating ball. She wondered what would happen if it just fell into the water and some unimaginable force brought it back up into the sky. A silly grin slowly pulled at the corners of her mouth. She knew the star's setting and rising were caused by the earth's elliptical rotation, but that would still be neat. A sudden "click, click, click" brought the teen out of her musings. Gazing down and to the left, she saw Pete absentmindedly tapping his talons on the wood. She laughed quietly and turned to the bird. He could be so funny without even trying!

Pete chuckled, looking back and patting Christina's shoulder gently. Like his friend, his mind was also elsewhere. The sun dipped lower now, coloring the ocean orange. Images of sourdough bread flashed across his vision, making him salivate. Pete pictured a world completely constructed of the stuff, and he was King, free to eat as much as his heart desired.

The enormous, yellow star completely disappeared below the horizon, enveloping the two in total darkness, save for the lights from the lampposts. However, that didn't dissuade Christina and Pete. Glancing to her friend again, she noticed his eyes were closed, posture relaxed. Was he…sleeping? The human shook him gently, and the red-yellow, bulging eyes popped open, meeting her soft, brown ones. Content, warm smiles spread across the duo's features. Their gazes lingered for a moment longer, before returning to the skyline, listening to the waves washing in the distance.

It just goes to show, actions speak louder than words.


	6. Virtual Leisure

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belongs to Nickelodeon.**

THE sun sank below the horizon, painting the sky brilliant shades of orange and red. In the park, seated at a picnic table, were Christina and Pete, watching a video of two german shepherds romping around in some grass on the former's large, blue laptop. One of the dogs turned on its side and began licking the other's forepaw.

Pete giggled. "Aw, that's sweet!"

"I know, right?" his friend concurred with a grin. The video ended seconds later. "Okay, Pete, your turn."

"Oh, right!" the birdman placed his large Digits on the touch pad, moving the pointer onto the search box and clicking on it. "Um…hmmm…let's see…"

Pete typed on the keyboard, then pressed enter, and a huge list of videos regarding turkeys showed up. Placing his large, feathered hand on the touch pad again, he moved the cursor to the first one, entitled "Turkey Chasing Truck," and clicked on it. The page loaded, and the pigeon laughed, pushing the miniature computer back. "Look at him! This is hilarious!"

"Okay…now that's just weird. What's that bird's deal, and seriously, what's that thing below his beak?" Christina inquired with a strange look.

"Maybe his meal is in there, and maybe it's a gobbler—oh, I don't know! I may be a bird, but I'm no expert!" her friend said, laughing once more.

"I didn't say you were," the girl retorted lightly.

"Anyway, your go, Chris."

After taking control of the laptop, a violin rendition of "To You" by David Guetta and Justin Bieber began playing. The song's backing track played in the background as the violinist played the main melody. The two swayed and hummed to the song.

"Wow, she's really good!" Pete remarked, impressed.

"Yep, she sure is!" His companion replied.

"I wonder what it would be like to play an instrument like that," the pigeon remarked thoughtfully.

"It'd be pretty cool, but…" her gaze shifted from the woman on screen to Pete. "Your hands are much bigger than a human's, so for you, I imagine playing a violin would be a bit tricky. No offense."

"None taken, and I can dream, can't I?"

Christina nodded.

Once that video was over, Pete pulled one up on a recipe for sourdough bread. His mouth salivated at the screen, earning a chuckle from Christina. The following video she played was the latest trailer for Space Heroes.

Thirty videos later, it was Christina's turn to pick the next one. Pete was about to notify her, when, out of the blue, she threw her arms around his neck, thin fingers combing through the feathers on his back. He returned the gesture, patting the girl's back gently.

"I love you," she whispered.

The other pulled away slightly, shocked. Did she just say—what he thought she said? Christina loved him? As in, she had feelings for him? "Um—what?"

"I love you, Pete," Christina reiterated. "You're like a brother to me. I can talk to you about anything, and you're always there when I need you. Thank you."

"Chris…I…" With a broad smile on his beak and tears in his yellow eyes, Pete hugged her once more, rubbing his face against hers, cooing softly, Christina mirroring him.

"You're welcome, and I love you too."


	7. Ultimate Betrayal

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belongs to Nickelodeon.**

Darkness. That was the first thing that greeted him upon opening his large, golden orbs. It was still nighttime, so of course it was dark, but it felt different. He couldn't hear the crickets chirring or feel the warm summer breeze. Instead of the high tree branches, the pigeon man found himself sitting on a thin sheet, the floor underneath feeling hard. He crawled forward, feathered hand touching the smooth, hard wall. Jerking it back, he gasped in horror. This wasn't the park, this was a glass cage! All at once, his mind came into focus, and the realization that he had been captured hit him like a bolt of lightning.

Pete stood abruptly, heart pounding as panic overtook him. He had to get out of here! The bird began groping the walls frantically, until his hands found what felt to be a large glass window. He knocked, pounded, and pushed against it, calling, "Hello? Hello! Can anyone hear me? Hello?"

Opposite the enclosure, a large, metal door opened, bright light pouring into the room. Pete shielded his eyes, then unshielded them, noticing the silhouette of a human female. The door slammed shut, enveloping the room in darkness once again. Light footfalls slowly approached the cage and stopped. The person pressed a button to the left of the window. There was a beep, before it slowly mechanically opened.

"Having fun in there, old friend?" an all too familiar voice asked.

"Chris!" Pete cried, overjoyed and teary eyed. Flinging his long, spindly arms through the opening, he hugged the girl tightly, pressing his cheek against hers. "Oh, Chris—I could kiss you!"

He was about to do just that, when Christina roughly pushed him back, resulting in the pigeon mutant stumbling to the floor and hitting his head on the opposite wall. Dazed, he lay there, staring at his friend with wide eyes. "Wh-what—what was that for?"

"Don't you ever touch me like that again!" Christina barked, making Pete flinch.

"But," he whimpered, slowly sitting up. "You love when I hug you."

"Not anymore."

"What? But, but, you—I mean, this…" he took a moment to gather his thoughts. "This isn't you. Unless…"

Quickly approaching her, Pete attempted to grab the girl's shoulders, but she jerked away before his hands made contact. "Chris, Chris, listen to me! You're under the control of a brain worm! You have to break free! Let me help you!"

"Brain what? I'm not being controlled by anything!" she retaliated.

"Yes, you are! The foot clan captured you and put a brain worm into your brain, then they made you kidnap me! Listen, if you let me go, I'll do my best to figure out a way to get that thing out of you," the bird reasoned.

"First off, who is this foot clan, and whoever they are, they didn't do this, I did!"

Pete staggered backward, utterly shocked and horrified. She—she did this? Christina, the one he could talk about anything to, the one he laughed with, flew with, the one being he loved with all his heart captured and held him prisoner? He shook his head furiously in denial, tears brimming in the back of his eyes.

"You see, when you became my friend, you unwittingly fell right into my trap. Your guard was down, so I used that as the perfect opportunity to detain you. We were never friends, bird brain, and we never will be! I mean, who'd even want to be friends with a useless, ugly abomination like you, anyway?" Christina elaborated.

Pete collapsed to the ground, burying his face in his hands, tears pouring down his face as he sobbed. Making a disgusted noise, his former friend turned and left the room.

The pigeon scooted into the farthest corner of the cage, pulled his knees up to his chest, and cried into his hands. Words could not express the unsurpassable amount of pain he felt. His best friend betrayed him. AT the same time, deep within the recesses of his broken heart, there was the tiniest sliver of hope. Cries dulling slightly, he held onto it for dear life. No matter what, she was still his friend. Maybe there was still a chance.

Christina entered minutes later, carrying a tray containing a bowl of food on a saucer, napkins, silverware, and a cup of ice water. Inhaling, Pete composed himself and got to his feet. He walked over to the window and watched her intently, despite being unable to see. She placed the tray before him on the windowsill and was about to leave when Pete's right hand grasped her shoulder, moving down her arm until finding her small hand. The girl tried hard to break free, but the birdman held it firmly in his larger one. His feathered face held genuine love and compassion.

"Christina, please, this isn't right, and you know it. So what if this was a trap? You're still my best friend, and nothing, I repeat, nothing will ever change that. Please, let me go, and we can forget this whole mess even happened, okay? I love you so much, friend."

For a moment, for one fleeting moment, his captor appeared to be considering Pete's words, chocolate orbs gazing upwards. Even though she detained him, he still thought of her as his best friend. She couldn't see it in his face, but she could hear the sheer amount of warmth and desperation in his high-pitched voice, but none of it mattered anymore.

Her gaze snapped back to Pete's, and in one swift motion, her hand was freed from his grasp. She spoke, her voice laced with malice, "Can't you take a hint, freak? We were never friends! Beg, plead, cry, and sob all you want, but that won't do you any good. Those days are long gone, creature. You're just a useless mutant as far as I'm concerned. From this moment forward, you will be my pet, and you will do what I tell you. Disobey, and you will be punished."

The girl depressed the button again, and the glass window to Pete's enclosure closed with a soft click. She left the room, leaving the pigeon alone. Choking up once more, he sulked to the back of the cage. Sinking to the floor, he allowed himself to completely break down, shoulders shaking with each gut-wrenching sob.

"Get up, mutant," Pete's former friend commanded harshly, yanking him by the arm. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, he didn't notice her enter. Emitting a startled caw, he scrambled to his feet.

"You haven't so much as touched your food. Care to explain?"

Pete's sniffles were his only reply. Huffing, Christina grasped a clump of the bird's feathers on his back. "As I said before, disobey me, and you will be punished."

"No…no…no…no, no, no, no!"

Pete woke with a start, panting. He was sweating, and his face was wet with tears. He put a hand over his feathered chest in an attempt to slow his pounding heart. After a few minutes, he was becoming conscious of his surroundings. Crickets chirped all around, and he was sitting high up in the trees.

'A dream,' he thought, letting out a long, relieved breath and slowly laying back down. 'It was all a horrible dream, but it felt so real.'

'Of course it was,' Pete's inner voice soothed. 'Would the real Christina do that? Absolutely not. She cares far too much about you to even dream of hurting you. She loves you, Pete.'

With that, the bird's large, yellow eyes slowly closed as he drifted off to sleep, a soft smile on his beak.


	8. Grainy Desire

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belongs to Nickelodeon.**

"Oh, those flip flops are so beautiful," Christina commented, gazing at a pair of sky blue flip flops with sequins on the straps from her perch on Pigeon Pete's back.

"Why do they have all the fall clothes out already? It's June…I think," the bird looked through the window, surprised to see long-sleeved shirts and jeans.

"It's so people can buy them before fall actually comes, and yes, it's July."

"Oh. So, where else would you like to go?"

"You know, I'm not sure," the girl responded uncertainly.

They had been flying around the expansive city, browsing at the shops it had to offer. The duo gazed through the windows of an antique shop, china shop, pizzeria, tea shop, and currently, the clothes department. They called it aerial window shopping.

Ascending a few feet, the large pigeon glanced about. Gasping, eyes as large as the sun, he cried, "Bakery!"

His friend shifted on the bird's back, following his line of sight. "a bakery? I'm really not in the mood for anything sweet."

Pete turned to her, feathered face radiating ecstasy. "What do bakeries have loads and loads of?"

"Um—cinnamon buns?"

Pete imitated a game show buzzer. "Wrong!"

"Doughnuts?"

"Nope, wrong again!"

"Eclairs?"

"Bread!" like a bullet from a gun, the birdman shot in the direction of the bakery, laughing crazily. The girl clung to him for dear life, nails digging into his shoulders. Pete was flying at top speed. He was completely fixated on having fresh loaves of sourdough bread.

The bird clumsily descended a short distance behind the bakery's window. Without giving his companion time to dismount, he ran over and pressed himself against the glass, emitting a blissful sigh. "Look at it, Chris! All that beautiful, beautiful bread! So…much…bread!"

After taking a moment to recover, Christina manage to say between pants, "I—I can't really—see anything."

"Oh, right! You can climb off now," Pete replied, squatting down a bit.

Slowly, she got off and stood beside the mutant, who moved slightly to the left to allow her to have a clearer view.

There was a slew of pastries: doughnuts, cookies, cinnamon rolls, muffins, cupcakes, cakes, eclairs, crullers, and much, much more. Christina's mouth watered, but she kept up her willpower. On the contrary, Pete was on cloud nine, licking his beak, yellow eyes as large as they could be, face pressed against the glass, and making dreamy sighs. Bouncing on his heels, he turned to his friend with a pleading look. She glanced back, already knowing what Pete was about to ask.

"Chris, could you go in and get me a loaf of sourdough bread, please?"

For a moment, the girl was tempted to please him, but she frowned slightly. "Pete, can't you go one night without it?"

"What? Oh, no, I can't!" the mutant cried, appearing quite flustered.

"I'm sure you can," she responded calmly.

"No, I can't!" he countered

Gently seizing the mutant's skinny arm, Christina attempted to pull him away from the baking facility. "You must resist!"

Pete remained where he was, feet planted firmly on the ground, talons digging into the warm pavement. Obviously, he wasn't giving up. Defeated, the girl released the limb and resumed looking through the window.

Pete exhaled dreamily once more, yellow eyes locked on the grainy food. "Bread—bread—oh, I so want that sweet, delicious sourdough!"

Christina giggled faintly. "You're saying you want it. That means you don't need it."

"Fine. I need sourdough bread!" the pigeon sighed exasperatedly, switching tactics. He sauntered toward her and rubbed the side of his face against hers, cooing softly.

The girl felt herself giving in, yet she held firm. "That's not going to work—oh, no, not that! Anything but that!"

Pete gave her the puppy dog eyes, beak quivering and large, crocodile tears added in for dramatic effect. Placing an arm around his friend, he rested his head on her shoulder and began making soft, whimpering noises.

She stood there, uncertain of what to do. On one hand, Christina didn't want to give in to the mutant's charade. However, she hated seeing him upset.

Christina sighed, wrapping her own arm around the bird. "Pete—come on, you can…"

He pulled away, an overly dramatic grin on his dampened face. "Oh, could you? Would you? Will you do it for your old pal?"

She laughed, despite herself. A second later, she shook her head, a stern frown crossing her face.

The pigeon pouted childishly, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, mischief brightening his features. "Alright, you asked for it! Come here, you!"

Without warning, he lunged and began mercilessly playing her sides. Gasping, Christina immediately dissolved into giggles. She attempted to pry his hands off, but no luck.

"Go get it! Go get me the bread! Get—me—the—bread!" he commanded playfully, laughing.

"N-n-no, stop!" the other cried, then grinned. "Now, you asked for it!"

She started tickling Pete's nearly bare belly, prompting him to burst into giggles as well.

"Get me the bread!" the bird shouted in mock annoyance.

"I'm not getting you the bread!" his friend replied.

"I need it!"

"No, you don't!"

"Give me bread!"

"No!"

"You are so getting that bread!"

"Not tonight I'm not!"

Minutes later, the duo stood, panting and holding their stomachs. Pete resolved, "Okay, before this goes too far, I surrender."

She sighed in relief. "Good. Now then, I think we should go…"

"Bread!" Pete cried, squawking wildly. He charged forward, nearly ripping the double doors off their hinges as he burst through. Immediately after, the staff stampeded out, screeching in terror.

The girl sighed resignedly, a small smile creeping onto her face. She entered and found her friend hugging a large loaf of sourdough bread to his feathered chest.


	9. Magic!

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.**

Pete perched on the rooftop opposite the quaint little shop, waiting for his friend to come out with her purchase. Above the double doors, in large, red letters against a bright green background, the sign read, "Mrs. Magee's Magic Potions." Squawking caught the mutant's ear, and he peered down, seeing Christina holding a plastic bag. Flapping his spindly, feathered arms, he descended toward her, slamming into a lamppost mid-flight. He remained there momentary, before sliding down and landing on his face.

Despite the concern for her friend's well-being, the human thought Pete's little incident to be humorous. She ran over, bag lightly bumping her leg, the sound of glass bottles clattering could be heard. Extending a slender hand, she asked, "You okay, buddy?"

"Yeah, I'm good, thanks," the pigeon accepted her hand and was pulled back to his three-toed feet. He noticed the bag dangling from Christina's left arm. "Oh, cool, you got some."

"Yeah, and they weren't cheap. Three bucks a bottle," Pete's companion pointed out.

"How many did you get?"

"Ten."

"That's…" the bird's face became surprised. "Whoa, that's a lot!"

"I know, right? Anyway, how are we going to get these to the park? Even though they're not made of a fragile glass, I'm still worried about them breaking," Christina pondered.

"We'll do what we always do!" the mutant turned around. "Hop on."

"Well—alright, we'll give it a shot," still feeling hesitant about the idea, Christina mounted her friend, positioning the bag so it hung from the crook of her arm and rested against her left side.

"Alright, to the park we go!" Pete squawked, rapidly flapping his arms and taking off.

"Easy on the landing, Pete!" the female cried, stiffening up.

"Okay, okay," Pete replied. He touched down on the ground unsteadily, but not enough to cause his passenger to fall.

Slowly climbing down, the girl walked to a park bench and gently deposited her purchase. Untying the white plastic bag, she turned to the birdman. "Okay, each potion has a label on it that tells you what it does and how to use it. Oh, and the effects are only temporary. Go on, you can go first."

"Oh, goody!" the pigeon squawked, bounding toward the bag and retrieving a random potion. The bottle was dark red, adorned with orange flames. "Breath of fire! I'm pretty sure I know what this one does!"

Pete uncapped it and downed the entire contents. He blew a breath of air. Nothing. He tried again, and still, nothing. The bird gave the human a questioning look.

"Oh!" Christina moaned, sighing disappointedly. "Cheap propaganda! I'm so sorry, Pete. I thought they would be neat for us to try out."

"Hey, it's alright, you didn't know," he, too, sighed, blowing out a few sparks. "Oh, well."

She gasped in shock. "Pete, do that again."

"Do what again?" the avian's voice held genuine confusion.

"Sigh, please."

Pete sighed, and once more, there were sparks. Excitement lit up the human's features. "It works! You can breathe fire!"

"Really? cool!" the birdman screeched joyously. He blew a few small spurts of bright orange flames, turning his head this way and that. Laughing, Pete took in a huge amount of air and exhaled forcefully, a powerful jet of fire erupting from his beak, accidently burning down a small tree. The pigeon appeared sheepish. "Oops…"

"Um…okay…my turn," Christina pulled out a blue potion and gulped it down after reading the label.

"Um, guess I need to learn to control my fire breath better, huh?" Pete said, giving another rueful laugh.

"Yeah, I guess," in less than a second, she was behind her friend.

"Chris, where did you go?" the humanoid bird asked, glancing around.

"I'm right behind you, friend."

Startled, Pete gasped and whirled around, but she wasn't there. "Hey! Where are you now?"

"Right behind you, buddy," Christina laughed.

Turning around again, the bird saw her standing before him, grinning broadly. "Oh, there you are. What's going on?"

"Super speed elixir!" she announced, holding up the blue now empty bottle. "Check it out!"

The human hastened from a tree a few yards away and back, moving as if she was a blur. Pete applauded wildly. "That was amazing! You got some speedy skills!"

"Thanks, yours are hot!" she chirped.

"Aw!" the bird blushed, flattered. An idea came to him. Since he could breathe fire, and she could run at lightning speed, why not have some fun? Pete grinned. "Try to dodge my flames of fury!"

"Huh? What are you—whoa!" the brunette barely had time to move out of the way as intense flames burst from the pigeon's mouth. Pete shot out more fire, which Christina once again barely evaded. AFTER one more close call, she took her best defensive stance and easily evaded Pete's blazing breath. Stream after stream he puffed out, left, right, left, right, and Christina dodged. Their play fight ended abruptly, nonetheless, when the girl tripped over her own feet, landed on her side, and her avian friend blew out nothing but air.

"Aw, it wore off," he whined.

"Yeah, oh well," Christina said, standing and dusting herself off.

"You okay, my friend?"

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she brightened. "You were so cool! A fire-breathing pigeon! Now that's something you don't see!"

"You too!" Pete returned the compliment. "I mean, did you see how quickly you were moving? It was like you weren't even there!"

"Thanks!" the girl remarked gratefully.

Giggling, the mutant headed towards the bag containing the potions and pulled out a purple bottle with yellow music notes on it. Grinning, he downed the contents.

"Which one did you get?" she inquired inquisitively.

"Vocal enhancer. It says it'll make my singing voice incredibly beautiful, and you know I can't sing a note!" Pete answered with a laugh.

Christina waited eagerly to hear the bird's newly-improved voice, but when silence followed, she looked at him quizzically. The other appeared hesitant. "Chris—what if this makes me sound completely different?"

"I'm sure it won't. I think the potion is just going to make your singing different, not your voice," the human encouraged.

"Well, here I go," the pigeon man took in a gulp of air through his stomach. His throat constricted, resulting in him making a strained noise. He exhaled and took a few calming breaths. Trying again, the bird drew in another breath, making the same strangled noise, only louder. Disheartened, he sighed. "I can't do it, Chris. I'm sorry, I'm too nervous."

"It's okay, you don't have to if you don't want to. At least you tried," Christina soothed, walking over and patting Pete's shoulder, the ladder smiling and cooing. She went back to the plastic bag and sifted through its contents, deciding which potion to draw next. After a moment's consideration, she settled on a pink bottle adorned with slightly darker swirls. The human was about to drink it when melodious humming caught her ear. Averting her eyes from the magical item, she gaped at Pete.

"What?" he asked.

"Wow," she breathed.

"What?" the pigeon man reiterated.

"That potion worked a little too well. Your voice is absolutely heavenly," she told him blissfully.

"That wasn't me," Pete rung his hands nervously.

"Oh, yeah, it was! Come on, sing some more, please!"

"Um—well—okay!" Pete beamed at her. He cleared his throat and belted out another tune. His soprano voice possessed great control and vibrato.

After Pete finished, Christina broke out into applause, jumping up and down wildly. "Oh my gosh, Pete, that was so amazing!"

The birdman turned crimson once more, flattered. "Really? You really think so?"

"Yeah, I mean, that potion did wonders!"

"Aw, thank you!" Pete responded, grinning broadly.

"No problem, my friend!" Uncapping the bright pink bottle, the brunette drank it and waited a moment. Concentrating hard, what was once a human female became a pigeon. She cooed, fluttering her wings and grinning up at her companion. "Check me out, Pete!"

The mutant blinked in sheer disbelief and speechlessness. She just turned into a pigeon, right before his very eyes! He then laughed jubilantly, bouncing on his heels.

"Yahoo!" she cried, taking off into the air. "I can fly!"

"I can sing!" Pete shouted gleefully, singing a series of ascending notes and soaring after her upon hitting a high note.

The two friends flew about, cooing, squawking, and laughing. Pete sang as he flapped about. He landed soon after, the normal pigeon perching herself on his shoulder and nuzzling the side of his neck. Pete chuckled softly, cooing and playfully pecking the top of Christina's head. The female cooed pleasurably, pressing her cheek against the larger bird's, who returned it, cooing contently as well. After giving Pete one more peck, she flew off his shoulder and landed on the ground in front of him. After focusing intensely, there was a puff of white smoke, and what was once a pigeon morphed into a brown, long-haired feline with white fur starting from between large, honey-brown eyes to her underbelly, even on her paws. Trotting towards the birdman, she sat on her haunches and gazed up at him pleadingly, mewing softly.

"Aw, look at you! You're adorable, Chris!" Pete squealed, bending down and scooping the cat into his arms.

Purring loudly, Christina pressed her cold, moist nose into the pigeon's warm, feathered chest. Pete cooed, gently stroking her back. Twisting her upper body slightly to the left, Christina began rubbing her cheek against the bird's hand, even licking it, prompting a laugh from the ladder. The female leaned her head into her friend's chest once more. She closed her eyes, relishing in the sensation of being petted and the sound of the bird's heavenly voice as he hummed.

Gazing down at his friend, Pete was surprised to see the head of a human, not a cat. She looked up, and their gazes locked. They smiled, gasped, and quickly pulled apart, blushing.

"Ah, hum, it wore off," Christina cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Yours did, but I think mine," he sang a bit. "Wait, never mind."

"Well, it was fun while it lasted. You're singing was so pretty," the human said optimistically.

"And, you looked so cute as a cat!" Pete added cheerily.

"Thanks, pal."

"Your welcome," the mutant walked over to the plastic bag and sifted through the six remaining potions, retrieving a black one with the image of a brain with waves protruding from either side. Without taking the time to read the label, he downed its entire contents and waited. Nothing happened.

"Which one did you get?" Christina inquired.

"Don't know," Pete responded simply.

"You didn't read the label?"

"Nope, I want to be surprised," the pigeon stated happily.

"Well, okay then," she dropped it. These were harmless, after all. The young woman reached into the bag and withdrew a crimson bottle with the image of a sumo wrestler on it. Following her avian friend's example, she uncapped it and gulped the fluid down.

"Hey, Chris?" the bird asked.

She turned to him, noting his slightly shocked expression. "Yeah?"

"Benches aren't supposed to float, are they?" Pete commented, gesturing to the right.

Christina turned, eyes as round as saucers. Sure enough, one of the park benches was, indeed, floating a good foot from the ground. "How—how—can this—wait."

"What?"

"Pete, let me see the last potion you drank," the female enjoined, holding out a hand.

Pete gave her the bottle. She inspected it closely and grinned amazedly, though did her best to conceal it. Returning her gaze to the feathered creature, she appeared calm, but beamed internally. "Try to focus, and see if you can put it down. Concentrate."

"Uh, okay," Despite being majorly confused, the bird did as he was told. Feathered face scrunched up, he focused on lowering the bench. After an intense moment, slowly, the piece of furniture lowered to the ground. The birdman's face held sheer disbelief.

"I know, right? This is so cool!" Christina cried, in raptures.

"Are you saying I have..."

"You have psychic powers!"

"No way!" he squawked.

"Yeah, way!" the girl countered. She threw her arms in the air. Her moment was short-lived when the sound of cracking glass was heard. Stunned, Christina looked to the bottle in her hand. She hadn't even been holding it that tight, so how could those have appeared? Shaking her head dismissively, she tossed the bottle into the nearest waste basket, only to have it land into one several yards away.

"Whoa, someone's got a mean throwing arm!" Pete commented, levitating a picnic table in a circle.

"I didn't even throw it that hard," Christina said, her voice laced with genuine confusion.

The pigeon man gasped. "The potion you drank!"

Slowly, a smile graced her features. Walking over to a tree, she was able to effortlessly lift it above her head. She walked in a small circle, then placed the large plant on the ground rather roughly, causing a loud bang to echo throughout the park and the ground to vibrate. Her companion jumped out of his feathers.

"Sorry," Christina apologized, laughing sheepishly and blushing somewhat.

Pete panted, heart pounding in his chest. The picnic table he had been telekinetically holding crashed to the park floor. Regaining his composure after a short while, he replied, "It's—it's fine."

Relieved, the girl headed to the swing set. Curling both hands around one of the metal poles, she again easily lifted the entire thing above her head, swings dangling. They probably weighed a few tons, but Christina was holding them as if they weighed only a few ounces! She put the playground equipment down and turned to Pete, who was floating a good four feet in the air. The bird's arms were at his sides, and his long, thin legs were crossed. He grinned down at her. "That was so cool! You're like an incredible she-hulk!"

His friend burst into a fit of giggles. "Thanks! Having fun up there?"

"Yep! Why didn't I think of this sooner? Drink a magic potion, get some telekinesis, and just float about. Flying is nice and all, but it's nice to just be like this. Plus, I get to lift things with my mind! I mean, how cool is that?" the pigeon babbled.

Christina laughed in response. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted. Letting out a startled cry, she quickly ran and grasped a picnic table. She held on tight as she, along with the table and the rest of the park's equipment, was lifted into the air and slowly spun around like a carousel.

"Round and round and round she goes! Where she stops, nobody knows!" Pete exclaimed, laughing jovially.

"Pete, get me down! I'm getting dizzy!" his friend cried, knuckles white from gripping the edge of the wooden table so firmly.

"Oh, alright," he responded with another chuckle, releasing his psychic grip on the human and park furniture, effectively lowering them to the ground. Pete followed seconds later, sighing happily. "Well, that was fun."

Smirking, the female ran over, wrapped her arms around Pete's torso, and picked him up, the ladder emitting an alarmed squawk. After a quick spin, she gently set the bird down.

"I think you almost broke my spine," Pete groaned, bending and straightening his back, which clicked and popped.

"Oh, no, I did? I'm so sorry!" Christina gasped, horrified tears coming to her honey brown eyes.

Standing erect and his back clicking again, the mutant stepped forward and placed a warm, reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hey, it's alright, you didn't actually break my spine. It just felt like it, that's all. No worries."

"Oh, good," the human gave a relieved laugh, blinking away the moisture. She gasped upon being levitated a few inches, then put back down. She giggled again. "Uh-oh, it's wearing off."

"Aw, man!" the birdman whined, folding his arms and pouting in disappointment.

Christina attempted to lift the same picnic table again, but it suddenly felt as if it weighed a ton. She turned to Pete, also appearing slightly disappointed. "And, so is mine."

"I liked having telekinesis. I didn't have to use my arms at all, just my mind!" the pigeon said, grinning broadly.

"You were lucky! I had to use my arms!" the human said with mock annoyance.

"Hey, it was awesome seeing you lift that tree!" Pete countered brightly.

"Yeah, that's true."

Christina gazed upwards at the sky. The sun had long gone down, now replaced by a half moon and stars. She smiled in fascination. Pete followed her line of sight, grinning. "It's so pretty, isn't it?"

"Oh, most definitely. It's a beautiful night," the female responded dreamily, eyes trained on the sky.

The pigeon offered her a gentle peck on the side of her head, then moved to retrieve the next potion. He grabbed a bright blue, sparkly bottle. The label read "Elixir of Enchantment," which peaked his curiosity. Reading the label further, he broke out into a grin and drank the entire bottle in just a matter of seconds. Shortly thereafter, a tingling sensation wafted throughout his body. It started out barely discernable, then quickly increased, resulting in the birdman scratching himself. As rapidly as it started, the sensation ceased.

"Whoa, you okay there, Pete?" Christina inquired in concern.

"Yeah, this stuff made me itch like crazy," he said with a sigh.

"Yeah, that store owner said it does that, but it's only temporary," she informed.

"Thank goodness," the bird said, relieved.

His friend walked over and retrieved the same potion from the plastic bag. Pete looked at it in surprise. "You got two of the same one?"

"I thought we would both enjoy what this does," she told him with a bright smile.

"Okay," Pete replied. Upon closer inspection, the label also had a short list of hand movements. Putting the bottle down on the bench, Pete rubbed his hands together, causing blue sparks to form. Moving toward a tree, he placed the glowing extremities against its large, rough trunk. The plant glowed, then became a gorgeous rose bush in a flash of light. The birdman laughed in triumph. He had the magic touch! Looking over his shoulder at his friend, he saw her hands were also sparkling, only they were bright pink. He watched in astonishment as the girl thrust her hands forward, causing a beam to shoot forth and collide with the swings, morphing them into a gray and white stallion. It whinnied, snowy tail swishing back and forth.

"This is so awesome!" Christina cried happily, shooting another beam of magic at another tree, changing it into a pumpkin.

"I know! Look at us!" Pete sent magic hurtling towards a picnic table, which became a chicken, who clucked and ran around wildly. The horse whinnied once more, and an all-out chase ensued.

Whooping with laughter, the two ran around the park, blue and pink magic coming from all directions. Another picnic table materialized into a dancing coffee pot, three more became white bunnies, a tree was turned into a googley-eyed wallaby, a small bed of pansies became a flock of seagulls, and so forth. In short, the park looked as if it was being run by circus clowns.

"What have we done to the place?" the human asked with a laugh.

"We've created a monster!" the mutant squawked. Thrusting his feathered hands upwards, blue beams shot into the sky, and snow began gently falling to the ground.

"Oh, Pete, it's beautiful!" Christina gaped dreamily.

He just laughed. Pete was about to produce more magic, when nothing happened. Looking down at his hands, the pigeon man was sadly surprised to see no blue sparkles. Christina mirrored him, also surprised. Not even a second went buy, and there was a blinding flash of light. The park returned to normal. The horse became swings, the dancing coffee pot and bunnies became picnic table, etc.

"well, that was fun while it lasted," Christina commented.

"Imagine if we had all these powers permanently. Man, we'd be the unstoppable duo, saving the world from evil doers!" Pete cried exuberantly, breaking out into a series of dramatic, heroic poses, singing super hero songs.

"You watch way too many cartoons," Christina said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I know," the pigeon replied.

"Well, only two more left," the human strolled to the bag and placed a hand on one of the two plastic handles. Pete followed and peered in. The pair simultaneously withdrew the final potions. Christina's was white, with the image of a wooden cane, and Pete's was fire red, adorned by a yellow arrow pointing upwards. Taking off the cap, the bird gulped the liquid down. Seconds later, a tingling sensation like the one he felt prior spread throughout his whole body.

"Uh, Chris, I'm feeling kind of funny," he said worriedly, then blinked. "Hey, is everything shrinking?"

"Holy…" she stared, wide-eyed and mouth agape, then covered her face with her hands. After a moment, she removed them, her expression remaining unchanged as she gazed at the dauntingly monstrous, taloned foot. Her head seemed to reach only the ankle. Closing her slackened jaw, the female craned as high as possible. "Pete!"

"What happened?" he asked, floored and somewhat frightened. The sound of his voice was greatly amplified, making Christina cringe.

"You grew!" the brunette shouted, surprise clear in her tone.

"I did?" the pigeon glanced left and right. A tree he was standing beside went up to just below his hip. Peering down, his friend seemed as if she stood only three inches in height. "How much?"

"I don't know! I think—a hundred feet!"

"What? A hundred feet!" Pete shrieked, alarmed. His voice echoed around the park intensely.

"Yeah!" his friend shouted.

The gigantic mutant gasped, feathered hands flying to his mouth. He was huge—no, bigger than huge! He was ginormous! He chuckled, feeling something tickle his right foot. Looking down, he noticed Christina climbing on it and grasping his pant leg. "Chris, what—what are you doing?"

"Trying…to…get…a better look at you," the human grunted as she attempted to climb Pete's leg. Her arms and legs were barely wrapped around it.

"Well, here," the birdman bent down, his friend nearly falling due to the movement. He scooped her up in his massive hand and brought her to his face. Pete peered down at her in his palm. "Look at you, you're so tiny!"

"No kidding! Your eyes are, like, five times the size of my head!" the female exclaimed, tossing her arms in the air for emphasis.

"Hey, am I good to sit?" Pete asked.

"Um," she scooted to the end of Pete's hand and peered over his fingers. "You're good for about three baby steps."

Carefully, the bird moved his giant left foot, followed by the right, then the left. His companion glanced behind her and nodded to him in approval. Pete squatted to the ground, placing his left hand against his legs, the other holding the human palm up on his knee. Christina scooted out of the large extremity and onto the bird's knee, wrapping her arms around her legs and gasping when her friend stretched his own out slightly.

"What do we do?" the mutant asked, anxious. "I can't go around looking like this."

"Don't worry, it's only temporary," she reassured him, patting his knee.

"So—what do we do until then?"

"We'll just have to wait. Until then," she chuckled and opened the final potion, holding it up as if proposing a toast. "Down the hatch!"

The pigeon laughed. He watched as her hair turned a light shade of gray and crinkles appeared on her face. He squawked in incredulity. "You turned into an old lady!"

"Why did I buy that potion?" Christina muttered, putting a wrinkled hand to her forehead in exasperation.

The avian covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. "Well, I don't know. Why did you?"

The elder sighed, smiling. "I don't know."

They stared at each other for a few moments, trying to contain their laughter. It soon burst forth in guffaws, Pete pounding the ground and Christina clutching her midsection.

"Oh, man, this is great! You're an old lady, and I'm birdzilla!" he chuckled.

"I know, right!" the human replied.

"We're nuts!"

"You bet we are, pal."

Pete squawked, the loud noise making the ground rumble. His friend clutched his knee. The bird laughed apologetically. "Uh, sorry."

She sighed in relief. "That's okay. Hey, you want to try walking around? I could guide you."

"Are you sure? I don't want to accidently destroy anything," Pete responded nervously.

"We'll give it a shot. If you're still not up to it, we can stop. Is that okay with you?"

"I'm sorry, Chris, I'm just not up for it. I just think it's too risky," the birdman responded.

"Oh, alright, then. Just thought I suggest it," Christina dropped the subject.

Pete let out another earth-shattering caw as the tingling returned. Slowly, his body began decreasing in size. Quickly, his friend slid down his leg and onto the ground. Upon standing, she turned to Pete, who was back to normal. He let out a breath. "You know, I'm actually glad that's over."

"I'm kind of in between. It was cool, but scary," the brunette commented.

"I mean, can you imagine what life would be like if I was that gigantic? Can you imagine sleeping? I wouldn't be able to fit in the trees!" the mutant went on. "More importantly, can you imagine how people would react?"

"No doubt they'd be scared," she stated.

"No charge!" Pete chortled. He strolled towards the park bench and lifted the bag. "Well, we used the last of the potions."

The girl nodded. "Yup."

A few moments of silence stretched between them. The pigeon broke it by asking, "So—now what?"

She stared ahead in thought, then turned to her friend with a grin. "How about a quick flight?"

With a huge grin on his beak, Pete faced his back to Christina, who climbed on. The bird flapped his arms, and the duo soared into the night sky.

 **A/n: Well, what do you guys think? I personally feel Pigeon Pete deserves more love. Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	10. TLC

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.**

"Pete!"

Nothing. She tried again, hitting her palm against the tree trunk. "Pete! Pete, wake up!"

Still, nothing. She sighed, worry creasing her brow. Christina had been at it for the past ten minutes. Either he was just that heavy of a sleeper, or something was very, very wrong. Deciding to try one more time, she jumped up and down, clapping and squawking. She stopped when a bulging eye blinked blearily down at her. "Hey, Chris."

Christina gasped. Was this really Pete talking? His voice was deeper and a bit raspy. "Pete, is that really you?"

"Yeah," he flapped to the ground and landed flat on his stomach. Groaning, the mutant slowly stood and let out a few coughs. Additionally, he was shivering.

"Oh, Pete," the human frowned sympathetically and moved toward her feathery friend. "You sound awful!"

"Thanks," the bird answered drily, sniffing.

"Can I check your forehead?" Christina asked, extending a hand. Nodding, the other bowed his head. she touched his forehead and immediately pulled away. "You're burning up!"

"I am?" Pete touched his forehead, and his eyes went wide. "Whoa, I am!"

"there's a pharmacy close by. I could get some medicine and water," Christina offered gently.

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden," the birdman said hesitantly, frowning.

"I'm sure. Anything for a friend," Christina responded determinedly. She turned and headed to her car. Opening the driver's side door, she faced him. "I'll be back in about twenty minutes."

"Chris?" he moved to stand before her, head bowed sadly. "I'm sorry this isn't turning out to be much of a play date. I should have let you know sooner."

"How? You don't have a cell phone, and you probably woke up feeling like that," Christina put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, looking him dead in the eye. "Pete, it's fine, don't worry. As long as I'm spending time with you, nothing else matters. I'll be back."

"Okay," his reply was cut short when he covered his beak, and a violent sneeze burst forth, followed by more coughing.

As Christina backed out of the park, she rolled down her window and called, "Bless you!"

"Thank you!" Pete croaked, turning to go back to the tree. He flapped up to the lowest set of branches, feeling too dreary to go any higher. The pigeon leaned against the trunk with a content sigh.

The resonating noise of a car door slamming reached the pigeon man's ears. Looking down from his perch, he smiled when he saw his companion walking his way, carrying shopping bags. Placing them down, she untied the first one. "Hey, I bought you some things."

"I can see that," Pete grinned.

"Okay, I got some tissues, aspirin, and water, and in this one…" she placed said items aside and moved to the second bag. "I got you a warm blanket and pillow."

"Jeez, doting on me much?" the mutant quipped with a laugh, resulting in another short coughing fit.

"Well, I thought you needed to feel more comfortable. You're always sleeping on those tree branches," Christina picked up the medicine and water and reached up. Nodding gratefully, he accepted them. Placing the bottle in his lap, the bird opened the bottle containing the pills. Popping one in his mouth, he closed it, handed it back to his friend, uncapped the water, and took some big gulps, wincing at the burning sensation in his throat.

"Done?" his friend asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Pete answered, handing the two items back to her.

"You're welcome, Petey Bird," she said with a benign smile, passing up the box of tissues.

"Petey Bird?" the bird canted his head, descending clumsily to the ground and taking it. Heading to the nearest waste basket, he pulled the strip of cardboard off the top and tossed it. Poking his large fingers through the thin plastic, he withdrew a tissue and blew his nose into it.

"Yeah, I mean, you call me 'Chris,' so I thought I give you a nickname. Why, you don't like it?" she inquired.

After repeating the process three more times, the mutant tucked the box under an arm and retreated to the tree. He offered her a bright smile. "Actually, I kind of like it."

"Good," the female laughed.

After settling himself back in the tree, a yawn exploded from the birdman. He closed his eyes briefly, rubbing them. Witnessing this, his friend frowned. "Tired?"

"Mmmm-hmmmm."

Reaching into the other plastic bag, she pulled out a green, soft blanket with a matching pillow and held them up to him. "Go ahead and take a nap. I'll be here when you wake up."

Nodding, he took the pillow and propped it against the tree trunk. Grabbing the blanket, he cocooned himself in the warm fabric, laying down and closing his yellow eyes. Facing his friend, he smiled warmly. "Chris?"

The human inched closer. "Yeah?"

"You're the best," those were the last words Pete muttered, before drifting into a sound sleep.

"Yeah? You too, buddy," Christina whispered, returning the smile and patting his knee.


	11. Apocalypse

**Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belongs to Nickelodeon.**

The avian mutant flew through the clear sky, staring blankly at the desolate dust bowl. Although he couldn't recall how long it had been, he knew years had passed since the world ended. A gunshot sounded, making him flinch and memories that occurred that day flood his mind.

He and his human companion had been flying in the park, laughing joyously. Her small hands clung to the large pigeon as he dove down, then back up. He was about to corkscrew through the trees, when a loud siren was heard.

The pair ceased abruptly, the human's face paling as she realized what that sound denoted. They looked up in time to see an enormous, green cloud of ooze covering the sky and pouring down. Crying in terror, the two took off to find some protection in the trees. A moment later, a large piece of debris hit the human female in the chest, knocking her off the mutant's back and into the green substance. Screeching, the bird flew after her, but the mutagen doused him as well. Time seemed to slow as, bit by bit, the entire earth was completely covered in it, sirens sounding everywhere.

Pete blinked the tears away from his bulging yellow and red eyes, landing on the sandy ground a short distance from the road. The now seven-foot birdman was nearly bald, splotches of gray feathers on his back, head, face, torso, and limbs. Large, rounded growths bedaubed his entire body, and his jeans were tattered.

The pigeon set off in a brisk walk. Before the disaster, he was free to fly about New York without a care in the world. Now, Day in, day out, Pete did his best to stay alive, scouting every bomb shelter he came across for water and food and looking for any of his friends. Another set of tears stung his eyes, but he willed them away once again. Part of him assumed them all dead, while another refused to believe that. He wasn't going to stop searching for them.

A passing war truck came into view. Picking up the pace, Pete caught up and waved, making the driver stop. The window rolled down, revealing a female snow leopard with blond hair, green eyes, and wearing a pink short-sleeved shirt and jean shorts. She smiled up at the bird. "Can I help you, stranger?"

"Yes, can you tell me where the next bomb shelter is, please?" Pete asked. His voice had dropped nearly an octave, a contrast to his previously high-pitched tone.

"Go up a little ways, and then make the first right. You should be able to see it," The feline replied. "Can I give you a ride?"

"No thanks. Also, I'm looking for my friends. One is a large alligator, another is a huge blue turtle, the other is a monkey, and the last one is..." he trailed off. What did she look like now? Was she a grotesque monster, a bird, a squirrel, a bat?

"What does the last person look like?" asked the leopard, raising her eyebrows.

"I—I don't know what she looks like," Pete said somberly.

"Oh. Well, I haven't seen anyone like that. I'm sorry," she responded sympathetically.

The pigeon sighed. "That's okay. Thanks for the help."

With that, he set off down the side of the road. Coming to the first right, he turned and walked for about twenty minutes, before spotting the bomb shelter. Diving for the first box he saw, he pulled out a bottle of water, uncapped it, and chugged its entire contents, sighing at the chilling liquid traveling down his throat and into his stomach. Reaching in again, the bird retrieved another bottle and downed it. Large, feathered hands going in the box for a third time, he withdrew another bottled water in the left and a bag of peanut butter crackers in the right. Setting the drink aside, Pete tore open the plastic package, grabbed a cracker, and put it in his mouth.

'A little stale, but it'll do. At least it's something,' the bird thought, settling on the sand to have a quick lunch.

After drinking the last of the cold beverage, Pete tossed the items in a waste bin and took flight. The blazing sun beamed down on him as he flew, staring blankly down at the desolate, arid world. There was absolutely nothing left. No big city, no buildings, no people, no purple dragons, no bread. No Slash, no Leatherhead, no Dr. Rockwell, no Turtles, no Christina—he shook his head. They had to be alive. They were out there—somewhere. Every person he asked about his friends' whereabouts said he/she didn't see them, dwindling that notion. Notwithstanding that, he held on.

Something walking across the sand caught his eye. Scrutinizing it, Pete was pleasantly surprised to find it to be another bird. An ostrich, to be exact.

"Excuse me," Pete called, descending. "Could you—oomph!"

The mutant pigeon landed face first, kicking up a cloud of sand. Slowly, he got to his feet, spluttering out bats of the grainy substance and dusting himself off. He tried again, clearing his throat. "Could you help me, please? I'm looking for my friends."

The avian smiled kindly, wisdom emanating in his green orbs. "Of course. Who is it you are seeking?"

"An alligator, a giant turtle, and a monkey," Pete replied.

The ostrich's eyes narrowed in deep thought. After a moment, he said sympathetically. "I am so sorry, my friend, I have not seen any of them."

Desperation seeped into the pigeon's voice. "Not even four turtles?"

The mutant moved towards the other and placed a gentle wing on his arm. "No, my friend. Either your friends fled or perished when the bomb went off."

"Oh—okay," he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Th-thanks anyway."

"Your welcome. Again, I am truly sorry. Best of luck."

Nodding, Pete took to the sky. Between the scolding heat and his overflowing emotions, he was only able to fly a short distance, before collapsing, physically and mentally. Lying prone on the desert sand, the bird buried his head in his large hands and, for the first time, allowed the tears to fall. He cried for the loss of the world he once knew, he cried for the loss of humanity, and most of all, he cried for the losses of his friends. Slash, the turtles, Dr. Rockwell, Leatherhead, Christina—his best friend—they were gone, dead. For the first time, he accepted the cruel, harsh reality that he was alone.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Pete didn't respond. The feminine voice reiterated, and this time, the pigeon man lifted his head and turned to face its owner. A cheetah knelt at his side, concern etched on her features. Her speckled fur was beige, with white running from just beneath a pink nose , down the front, and on the paws. She wore a short-sleeved green shirt and a white skirt. Curly, snowy hair went a little ways past her shoulders, and her tail was slightly curled, flicking lazily.

The tears didn't cease falling as the birdman choked out, "They're—gone—all of them—gone."

Chocolate eyes blinked. "Whose gone?"

"M-my friends…all…gone…" Pete placed his head back in his hands and sobbed quietly. Slowly, the cat scooted closer to him and placed a comforting paw on his back, caressing it. "I am so sorry. Mine were destroyed, too. I'm all alone now."

Pete's expression turned sorrowful upon seeing the tears in her eyes. "Oh, man, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks," the cheetah smiled sadly. She reached into a blue duffle bag beside her and drew out a tissue, holding it out to him. "Here you go."

"Thanks," Pete replied, sniffing and accepting the handkerchief and wiping his face.

The cat held out a clawed hand. "Your welcome. I'm Christina."

The bird shook it gently, yet firmly. "Pete. Would you like to join me? We can be alone together."

Christina stood and slung her bag over her shoulder, looking slightly shocked. "Pete? You have the same name as one of my friends."

Pete stood, also shocked. "Really? Huh, small world. Anyway, you want to come with me?"

"Sure. In these dark times, we should be helping each other."

The two began walking in silence, staring ahead at the horizon. The pigeon broke the ice. "So, did you start out as a cheetah?"

"No, I began my life as a human. A friend and I were playing in the park when the bomb hit," she explained.

"I started out as a pigeon, but it wasn't the bomb that caused my mutation. I was captured by these aliens called the Kraang, and they mutated me," Pete explained his story.

Remembrance made the female's brows raise. "That's what happened to my friend."

'Okay, now this is getting unusual,' thought the bird. 'How can our stories be so similar? She and a friend were at the park when the bomb went off, and so was I. Her friend was a normal pigeon that got mutated by the krang, so was I. This is just so weird—wait a minute.

He stopped and stared at the cheetah, beak hanging open and eyes wide. It couldn't be—it just couldn't be! "Ch-christina..."

"Yes?"

"Christina—" mouth slowly widening into a grin, overjoyed tears sprang to his red-yellow eyes. "Chris—it's me, Pete. R-remember?"

Christina took a quick step back and gazed wide-eyed at the mutant pigeon, gasping. Her jaw stayed slack for a good minute, then she breathed, eyes misting as well, "Pete—

"Oh, Chris!" the pigeon cried, rushing forward and flinging himself at the feline, tightly embracing her, squalling. "Oh, Christina…"

"Oh my— throwing her thin arms around the bird, she burried her face into his shoulder, also howling.

The pigeon clung ever tighter to her. She was here and alive. Mutated, but alive. A half century of searching and fear had finally come to an end. Pulling from their shared embrace, Christina choked out, "How are you, Pete?"

"Hanging in there, you?" the bird responded, sniffling.

"Same here. Been doing everything I can to stay alive. Some tribes have been taking me in and teaching me their ways, which is neat," she sighed, gazing about, crestfallen. "This world—it's an absolute nightmare. Only problem is, I can't wake up."

Pete squeezed her shoulder. "Tell me about it, but you know what? we have each other, and we're going to need each other if we're going to survive this."

The cat put her hand on her friend's shoulder, smiling softly. "Yeah."

The pigeon released her shoulder and held out his hand. Smiling broadly, he asked, "So, are you ready to tackle this together? You with me?"

"I'm with you," the cheetah said brrightly, accepting her companion's feathered hand. They turned and walked forward a few paces, before Pete stopped and faced her with a sincere expression. "Chris?"

"Yes, my friend?"

"Love you."

Eyes clouding over, the feline hugged him tightly, sandpapery tongue passing over his cheek. "I love you, too."

The male returned the hug and nuzzled the female's cheek with a soft coo. Linking arms, the pigeon man and cat woman walked off.


End file.
